BooksBarbecue
Back The House Party
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. April 2008
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. Author’s Note
  55. Acknowledgments
  56. About the Author
  57. About the Publisher

“Who told you that?” she asked, but Murray didn’t answer. “He might have,” she said. “But I didn’t see it. You’ll have to confirm that with someone else.” It sounded like she was giving him an assignment.

“Okay,” said Mr. Jeffries. “I think that’s enough. She’s given you a list of names, and she’s willing to plead guilty to simple trespass. Do we have a deal?”

Murray was quiet for a moment, and then Mr. Jeffries added: “And as far as I’m concerned, I don’t think the chief needs to hear anything about your . . . outburst.”

Murray let out a dry laugh. “Outburst, huh? Okay, you have a deal,” he said. “I’ll recommend that she plead to trespass. Thanks for coming forward, Ms. Jeffries. Our community depends on good people like you.”

At the DA’s office, Jake handed Donna a copy of the list that June Jeffries had supplied to Detective Murray. “Suspects in the house party case,” he said. “Can you add it to the file?”

Donna looked at the list and raised her eyebrows. “Hunter Finch,” she read aloud.

“Do you know the name?” Jake asked.

“Well . . .” Donna began. “Dominic Finch lives up on Greenwood Road.” She looked at Jake as if this should mean something to him.

“Dominic Finch?” Jake repeated. “Do I know him?”

“Of Finch Properties? The property developers? He’s a friend of Hal’s.” She raised her eyebrows. “I believe Hunter is his son.”

Jake conjured up a vague image of the name Finch Properties in gold script engraved on wooden signs with the pompous names of housing communities like Fox Chase Run and Wimbledon Green. Hunter Finch sounded like it could be the name of another enclave of houses built to look like faux châteaux. Somewhere in his notes was a question about a rich kid who had been giving out, or maybe selling, drugs. Was this the kid?

Jake started back toward his office, and then changed his mind and walked to Hal’s office instead. He knocked lightly on the door frame and stuck his head in. “Hal, quick question. Do you happen to know Hunter Finch?”

Hal took a few extra seconds to look up from his desk. “Why are you asking?”

Jake wasn’t sure what sort of answer he had been expecting, but that certainly wasn’t it. “Oh, no reason, really. The name came up in a tip about the house party, but I don’t have a face to connect it with. Just ruling people out at this point.” He decided to make the leap. “I thought he might be related to Dominic Finch.”